Through Heaven's Eyes
by DoeEyedLady
Summary: Freedom is granted to those lucky enough to be born into it, such as the arrogant young prince of Heliohapt. His perspective changes when he meets a beautiful slave. She shows him what life is like for a slave, and trouble ensues the two because of their forbidden actions. A family divided, rumors of rebellion and a collapsing country may just kill them and all that they love...
1. Prologue

Deep within the distant desert sands of a great and mighty kingdom, the cries of many people could be heard from a far. The smoke of the fires grew to a height that could be seen from miles away. Wood crackled and groaned as buildings crashed down on the dwellers of the homes. Countless bodies piled up in the streets, and hundreds more people were clawing at the closed gates, or trying to dowse the ablaze boats of the docks with water so they could escape. It was futile; the gates will not open and the boats will burn into ash carried away by the river. A young woman stumbled through the chaos, a small bundle cradled in her shaky arms. She leaned her frail body against a sweltering stone wall, still exhausted from her recent childbirth. Her baby let out a small trill against her chest, and she hushed the child while hugging her precious bundle tighter. Grit rained down from the crumbling bricks, and she knew she had very little time before the burning building collapsed on top of her. The woman heaved herself forward; she had to make it to the river no matter what. The starlit gleaming banks were within her sights now.

At last she reached the shores, and she kneeled down letting the cool waters lap at her knees. Tears began streaming down her flushed cheeks as she nuzzled her baby. She could still smell the mucosa of her womb on the newborn's skin, and feel the warm gush of blood trickle between her legs as a result of her grueling delivery. The new mother had only known her newborn for just a few a hours, and she knew that this spot at the river would be the place where she would say her first and final goodbye to her child. She had nothing else that she could give, except this small chance that her baby may live. She gazed at the dark waters with hope filling her soul. Other civilians were trying to wade into the waters in an attempt to swim across to the other side. Unfortunately for them this was no small river; it was several miles across and another dreadful fate awaited those who dared to try and cross these waters. Crocodiles were such ruthless and carnivorous creatures that lurked in the depth of these waters, but these very same deadly waters would bless her child with _life_.

The woman gently laid her wriggling baby in her lap as she untied her shawl that she used to sling a covered basket over her back. She placed the wicker basket next to her and ran her petite fingers across it. She spent countless hours weaving this basket out of reeds that grew from the shore in preparation for the birth, hoping that it would serve its purpose as a cradle and as way to conceal her baby from unwelcome prying eyes. Now it would serve a far more greater role in her child's life.

She lifted the lid and reached inside and pulled a large bottle of incense out and stared at it apprehensively. The rukh had warned her months ago that it was absolutely critical that she stole this from her master. The very act of theft over a bottle of incense could have cost her life, but Solomon must have smiled down upon her actions because she was still alive. Why she had to have this bottle of incense she had no idea why at the time, but now it was clear as day. This was a bottle of Jasmine, very fitting for the situation. Jasmine had the elemental attribution of water, and held the meaning of love and beauty. It was perfect for her child, and she felt deep gratitude swell within her heart that she was born with such a gift where she could be so close to the rukh.

The desperate mother used her teeth to uncork the bottle, and her eyes watered from the fumes. Grasping her dull cream-colored shawl, she dumped the incense all over the fabric. With the remaining drops of Jasmine, she rubbed it on her baby's skin as the child let out little squeaks of protest. She smiled painfully and lovingly caressed the babe's face as she dumped the remaining drops of Jasmine incense on her child's swaddling clothes. The crackling of the flames were coming nearer, and time was running out.

The woman pushed her light blue hair out of her eyes as she folded her shawl that reeked of Jasmine, and placed it inside the basket while neatly tucking the ends in. She gently raised her precious child, and was about to place the babe in the basket when she hesitated. The mother hadn't had a good chance to study her infant's face until now. Even though the baby's skin was still covered in afterbirth, she could tell that her newborn had inherited her ivory skin. Unfortunately, pale skin was akin to being cursed in this scorching land. But the child had dark long lashes, and the mother could tell her only child had inherited the father's blue eyes. Those beautiful eyes had her mother mesmerized, and she brought her head down to press her parched lips on her child's milky forehead.

"I love you, my child," she whispered. "I pray that you will live a good life, and that we may meet again."

The mother gently placed her babe inside the basket, and was about to cover the opening with the lid when she remembered something. Her fingers touched her forehead, and felt the hard red gem of her head chain press against her sweaty skin. She removed it with a sharp tug and curled her fist around it. She closed her eyes as she quietly chanted, bestowing all of her blessings to her only child. She opened her eyes and ever so lightly, deposited her only inheritance inside the basket as well. Very gently the lid was placed on top of the weaved reed basket.

Her baby seemed to realize what was going on and didn't make a single peep as she waded out into the water, pushing the river's precious cargo in front of her with blistered hands. Eventually her feet almost couldn't reach the bottom anymore and she didn't dare try to go any further. She gripped the floating basket tightly with her hands, hesitating to let the current take her newborn away. She squeezed her eyes shut as she reminded herself that _this_ was the only chance her child had of surviving. By Solomon's name, this child deserved to live! No matter how hard the life her baby will lead, it is still very precious and worth it. Praying that the strong scent of the Jasmine incense would keep the crocodiles at bay, she shoved the basket into the current of the river. She watched the basket drift farther away, and she began to silently weep as it was carried away in the water's arms and out of sight.

"Solomon, protect my daughter for me please. I pray that she will always be loved and find happiness in her life…"


	2. A King and His People

The desert was known to many as desolate and devoid of anything but sand and stone. One would not guess that it was actually capable of being the home to hundreds of living creatures, and a mighty kingdom that has stood against the test of time itself. The people that dwelled within this country, named Heliohapt, were well known for their distinctive and attractive looks. They were all born with copper colored skin and hair as white as snow. Of course they had never seen the sight of snow even once with their green eyes that mimicked the sun's rays. Their features were obviously inherited from their desert dwelling ancestors to accommodate the harsh sun and heat exposure. With lean bodies, they were known for the swiftness and flexibility like a snake. In fact they even enjoyed the company of snakes in their homes.

One Heliohaptian man contentedly watched a golden cobra curl around his arm. It flickered its tongue as it writhed around the man affectionately. He was lounging underneath the shade of a palm tree during the heat of day. Stone walls surrounded him inside a courtyard full of succulents and grasses. A canal had been dug beneath the south wall that poured river water into a shallow pool. Cattails and lily pads sprung up from the pond. A stone bridge had been built across the pond and it combined with a stone walkway that lead to the entrance of the main building. On the other side of the bridge, the walkway wove its way through the garden and to the west gate. The massive building faced the east, to welcome the rising sun each morning.

The man leaned his head against the trunk of the tree, gently closing his eyes to block out the sunlight. His day had been busier than usual, running from meeting to meeting and the constant stack of paper work that just didn't seem to ever get done. Taking a break once in a while helped him relax from the stress, especially today. The extra work of planning for the banquet was starting to take a toll on him. He inhaled deeply and breathed out a satisfied sigh. The buzz of the locusts lulled him into a light sleep, until he felt a cold splash jerk him awake.

"Wha-" Sputtering, he jumped up off the ground and the bittersweet scent of wine filled his nostrils.

Howls of laughter brought his attention to behind him. He frowned at the two sweaty young men guffawing with each other while exchanging high fives. His snake hissed in annoyance. Both of them held empty bronze jars that the Royal family used to store their wine in. The two men were obviously brothers as they were similar in size and stature. Their white hair had the same flip to it in the back while their bangs fell into their eyes identically. However one of the brothers was clearly older, as his hair was longer than the other and he also had a lengthy goatee that the younger lacked. He also had strange tattoos on the outer corners of his eyes that looked like tear streaks that reached down to his cheeks in the form of snakes. Both of them weren't wearing their normal attire, only plain white off-shoulder robes and sandals with their swords strapped to their sides as their only accessory. The brothers must have had sword training, the man realized.

"Well if it isn't Armakan and little Sharrkan," he growled. He wringed his own white robes that was soaked with wine thanks to them.

"Hey I'm a grown man!" The younger brother protested, though he was still laughing.

"You should have seen your reaction, Narmes!" Armakan cackled. His eyes were squeezed shut and he wiped at his tears from laughing.

Narmes couldn't hold back his grudging smile. "What I really want to see is the look on your faces when I get a hold of you two!" He lunged at them.

Sharrkan started pushing his brother's back in the direction of the open gates while shouting, "Time to go! Time to go!"

The two dashed across the bridge with Narmes giving chase close behind while waving his arms wildly in the air. His snake seemed to be spitting insults after them. Armakan and Sharrkan ran close together as they sped through the gates and leaped down the sandy steps that descended into the city.

Armakan chuckled. "I must say, Sharrkan this must be one of my greatest ideas yet!"

Sharrkan raised his eyebrows at him. "What are you talking about? This was _my_ idea!" They ran around a group of bewildered guards.

"It was _mine," _his brother corrected him.

"Nuh-huh! And you totally missed him. It was all thanks to me that it worked at all!"

Armakan jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow, sending Sharrkan veering towards the side. "How could I miss him when I was three feet in front of him? You're such an idiot!"

"What did you say?" Sharrkan snarled in retort. He attempted a swing at his brother but he jumped away. Images of palm trees and tall square buildings flashed in his sight as Sharrkan sprinted after his brother who was now pulling ahead. The crowd of the people was beginning to thicken as they were headed towards the more populated area of the city.

"Whoever makes it to Ra's temple first, is the person who came up with the prank!" Armakan challenged over his shoulder.

"You're on!"

Seconds behind them, Narmes skidded to a halt on the middle of the staircase. He chuckled while shaking his head. "Those two are too busy arguing with each other that they forgot why they were running in the first place. Ah well, might as well get cleaned up while I have the chance." He turned around and walked back towards the palace while squeezing alcohol out of his hair.

Sharrkan sped after his older brother. It became harder for him to follow Armakan as he weaved in and out between bronze skinned people. A team of oxen pulling a cart full of sacks cut in front of the younger brother's path, and so he leapt on top of it and off the other side. He heard the driver yell something at him and he laughed in response.

The air was filled with the smell of incense and pipe smoke. The combination of the smells were intoxicating to Sharrkan's senses and it invigorated him. His legs moved faster as he dodged civilians wandering around the street. He winked at a group of women carrying baskets on their heads and they giggled. Vendors on the edges of the main street were calling out sales such as, "Figs! Fresh juicy figs!" Or, "Tilapia! Fresh from the sea and half off!"

Armakan's white head was just barely distinguishable from the other Heliohaptians. Sharrkan was gaining on him when they were about half way there to the temple of Ra. Armakan unexpectedly swerved to his left and dived into an alleyway, leaving his brother confused. Then he saw a halted camel train blocking traffic and the drivers struggling to coax them along. One stubbornly kneeled in the middle of the street stretching its neck as far as possible as its master pulled on the lead rope with its full length extended. He decided to follow his brother through the same alley he disappeared into.

Sharrkan ducked beneath the stomach of a camel and he heard the master shout curses after him. He snickered to himself as he dove into the alleyway and turned his head to say to the driver, "Sorry old-"

Something crashed into him knocking his breath away and he let out a loud, "oof!" He heard someone yelp underneath him followed by a loud shatter. Now at a complete stop, he watched with distaste as Armakan disappeared behind the next corner. He looked angrily down at the person that had cost him his victory over his older brother. The person was facing away from him while squatting in a pile of dampened sand. They were dressed in maroon robes with a cream colored headdress. Small pale fingers shakily gripped broken shards off of the ground. Wait, _pale _fingers? Their bare feet were white as well even though their ankles and toes were dirtied with dust. Anger filled his entire being. This person was lower than scum compared to him.

"You _slime_," Sharrkan snarled in a dangerously low voice. He roughly snatched their arm and forced the person to stand up and face him. His assumptions were proven correct when he saw their face. This person was clearly a woman, and she was clearly a slave: her blue hair and eyes plus the pale skin gave her identity away. At first she stared blankly at him like she didn't understand what was happening, and then her brows furrowed as she pushed him away.

"Don't touch me you sweaty, stinky, old lout! Look what you've done!" She emphasized at the mess around them.

He became even more enraged with the slave woman. No one, especially a _woman_ slave, should ever treat _him _like that. He stepped forward with a raised hand to punish her when completely out of the blue, she burst into tears. She spun around and squatted while picking up the slivers of the broken vase. Perplexed, Sharrkan didn't make a move.

"Dirty rotten… Stupid boy… Good for nothing… Why I ought a..." She loathingly muttered insults in between choked sobs.

Sharrkan was stunned by the way she was speaking of him when he was standing right there. Her actions could get her _killed_ because of his high status. Then it dawned upon him that she didn't know who he was; he was only wearing the clothing of lowly peasant for training. He had never seen this slave within the palace, so of course she wouldn't recognize his face right away. Suddenly her crying ceased and she dropped the shards and pulled on her cream headdress.

"Oh… What am I going to do. This is bad. Very, very, _very _bad. That was my _only_…" She let out a tiny shrill scream.

Sharrkan couldn't help but pity her. Slaves owned very little, and that dinky mud pot was probably something her family passed down for generations. To him, it was just a cheap little decoration. But to her, it was survival. It carried water from the wells for her and her family to drink. It probably held the river water she used to clean her master's house, or carried the rice for her husband who was working in the fields. If that vase was lost to her, she couldn't provide for her family. Worst of all, she couldn't work for her master which would result in harsh punishment. Slaves had to use their own resources, or else their filth may taint the purity of their master's household.

The small slave woman began to meticulously pick each little piece of the vase and fold it inside her cream colored apron. He could tell that she was just acting out in desperation now. Slave vases are made out of clay and sand; and now that her's was broken, the remnants were crumbling into dust. He grew achingly aware of the bronze jar that he was still managing to carry within his arms. He watched the slave women's panicked state and he knew he couldn't just walk away now. She began to weep again.

"Will you cut that out?" Sharrkan begged her with agitation dripping in his voice.

She sprang to her feet and whirled around to face him, only to stare at him with shocked wide eyes. "What are you doing?" The woman asked him suspiciously as he held the vat out to her.

"Just take it," he sighed impatiently.

"Why?"

"Because I said so," he snapped at her this time.

Her gaze flickered between him and the jar for what seemed like hours. A sudden realization shot through her mind and she blanched. She started shaking and her face filled with utter terror. She threw herself at his feet and pressed her face into the sand.

"Please forgive me!" She cried into the ground. "I regret what I said! I'm so sorry-"

"I _promise _that if you take this jar, I will not accuse you of theft." Sharrkan sighed in exasperation. "There's no need to make a scene out of this. You're not going to be killed just yet. Just accept my kindness already!"

She lifted her head and stared at him with a questioning blue gaze. He realized that this woman was actually exceptionally beautiful for being a slave. Her long teal hair that fastened in front of was sleek and shiny. It shone in the sunlight and the warm breeze made her tresses float in the air. Her skin, although pale, appeared to be perfectly flawless. Long black eyelashes framed her big eyes that were the color of the sea. Although her tattered clothes were quite plan, she somehow made it look very flattering. He would bet his sword that countless slave masters fought over her ownership.

Very slowly, she rose to her feet. She stared at the vase apprehensively and then gave him a dubious look as if to ask, 'Are you sure?' He tried to give her an encouraging nod. She sucked in a breath and held it in as she reached out with trembling hands. Her fingers had just barely touched the cold metal surface of the vase when she gave him another one of her searching looks.

"Are you being serious? Is this even… Allowed?" She whispered. Her blue eyes searched his own green ones as if she would find the answer hidden in his gaze.

He shrugged even though he was pretty sure it _wasn't_. But he didn't see why it was forbidden, it was just a harmless act of kindness. "I don't see a problem. Do you?"

Her only reply was a very tiny shake of her head. He almost thought he had imagined it, it was so minuscule. She still didn't make a move to take it from him, but she still just stared at his eyes. It unnerved him in a way. It felt as if she was gazing into his very soul. Strangely, he didn't mind looking at her this closely. Suddenly the sound of footsteps brought their attention away from each other and on the person rounding the corner. He noticed her body turn rigid at the sight of the newcomer.

"Sharrkan, there you are! You made that way too easy. I've been waiting for-" Armakan stopped in his tracks and stared at what was unfolding in front of him. He frowned disapprovingly. "Who is this?"

Sharrkan shoved the jar into the slave's hands and she almost dropped it but managed to grapple for a hold. "Um…" He hadn't asked for her name.

The woman bowed respectively towards his brother. "My name is Yamuraiha, sir."

"I see…" Armakan replied curtly. "Well I think it is about time you go back to your business, slave."

"Yes of course, sir." Yamuraiha turned towards Sharrkan and gave him a confused look. "Thank you…" She murmured and without waiting for his reply, scampered away from him. She ducked her head submissively as she passed Armakan, hugging the jar tightly in her arms.

Armakan watched her silently through narrowed eyes. When she ducked behind a corner and disappeared out of sight, he turned to his younger brother and gave him a searching look. "What was that about?"

"She had broken her vase and I was just giving her the empty wine vat," Sharkkan explained to him defensively.

Armakan came to stand next to his brother's side to speak to him in a quieter tone. "Wasn't that the slave's problem?"

"It was mostly my fault that it broke," Sharrkan shot back in a hoarse whisper. "It's not like we needed the wine vase… We can easily get a new one."

Armakan sighed and gave him a withering look. "You know how uncle feels about _us_ interacting with the slaves. The way she was speaking to you... It was like she didn't even know who you were."

"I know, I don't think she knew that I am a prince…" Sharrkan murmured in his brother's ear.

Armakan nodded in agreement. Then sniffed, "the way she bowed to me you would think I was a lowly peasant, and not the sovereign heir to the throne."

Sharrkan chuckled and patted his shoulder in mock comfort. "Get over yourself."

Armakan ruffled his brother's hair earning a few protests. "Not until you actually beat me at something." He looked up at the sky and frowned. "We should head back so we can be on time for the meeting with Uncle."

Sharrkan gave him a cautious look. "You're not going to tell him… Are you?"

His older brother gave him a long, hard stare. "No," he decided. "Just be careful Sharr'…"

"It's not like I was hurting anyone."

Armakan sighed. "Come on. Let's go home."

* * *

The meeting hall of the palace was filled with tall wooden tables and Heliohaptian officials surrounding them. One larger table than all the rest was placed in the center of the room. The officials around this table were more decorated than the rest, with gold belts and ornate jewelry around their necks. A man standing at the head of the table was dressed with the most impressive attire, with an intricately gold embroidered purple cloak, a gold _nemes _headdress holding back his long white ponytail, and a goatee attached to his chin completely made of gold. Though wrinkles of age etched the features of his face, his body was lean and muscular like a twenty-year old. He squinted at the Papyrus scrolls scattered around the table with his arms folded. An enormous snake curled its body around his waist and flickered its forked tongue. The man's jeweled fingers glinted in the early evening sunlight that came through the open walls facing the west and the east. The flat ceiling was decorated with hieroglyphics that told the tales of the past kings, and it was supported by a series of pillars. At the enclosed end of the room, a large statue of a man bared a striking resemblance to the same ornately decorated man heading the meeting.

Scribes scribbled away at the scrolls as officials gave out their reports. The room was filled with a terse buzz from the officials discussing politics. They all turned their heads to the south door when it opened with a moan. The man shifted his position impatiently, putting the others in the room on edge. Three men entered the room shoving each other playfully. They were all similarly dressed as the main figure, though to lesser extent. Their _nemes_ were remarkably smaller in size, and they didn't wear any cloaks. They put their scuffling to a halt when they noticed everyone's attention was focused on them. The three of them crossed one arm in front of them and the other behind their back as they bowed respectively towards the man. He waved his hand at his officials.

"Leave us, this meeting has come to close." A collective sigh gathered in the atmosphere, and the court cheerfully chattered as they left the room. The three men straightened and came to the older man's side. "Armakan, Sharrkan, Narmes. You're late," he chided.

"My apologies, King Wosret." Narmes apologized while bowing his head. He stood next to the king's left side and Armakan took the right with Sharrkan by his side.

Wosret wrinkled his nose at Narmes. "You reek of alcohol."

Sharrkan and Armakan sniggered earning a sharp glare from their uncle. They looked away and coughed awkwardly. "When will you three learn to grow up?" The king berated them. "I feel like I'm dealing with a bunch of naughty school children when I'm with you." He regarded Narmes with a cold stare. "I don't care if you have been friends with my nephews since you were toddlers; you need how to interact with the royal family appropriately if you wish to keep your father's position as High Ambassador of Heliohapt."

Narmes hung his head submissively. "Yes, sire."

"And you, Armakan-"

Armakan stiffened at his uncle's tartness.

"-need to actually grow up for once. Remember you are the one who will inherit the crown once I pass into the next life. So you need to start acting like a king worthy of Heliohapt."

Sharrkan blinked at his uncle in irritation. "Please, Uncle. Don't be so hard on-"

"And you, Sharrkan." Wosret snapped. "Need to do the same as your brother, because you might inherit the crown one day if Armakan doesn't choose a wife soon."

Sharrkan was about to retaliate when Armakan held up a hand in his little brother's face and sighed. "Can we just drop it? Let's get our meeting started."

Wosret regarded him coldly, before giving Narmes a nod. "Very well then. Narmes, carry on."

Narmes straightened up immediately. "Right," he said and he began reporting on earlier meetings and current events happening throughout the kingdom. "The farmers had a concern that they will not be able to get any water to their crops this year. Apparently their old irrigation systems have been clogging up lately. Not to mention that the currents have changed the shape of the canal so the water isn't going where its needed."

"I see, then we will have to dig new canals for the crops then." King Wosret decided. "We'll send some of the royal construction slaves to the farmlands."

"Shouldn't the job be left to the farmers' slaves?" Armakan asked.

"No, they are needed to work in the fields."

"What about the construction? The new monument to your rule will only be delayed, my King." Narmes pointed out to him.

Wosret stood silently for a moment before saying, "We'll send half of the construction slaves to build the new irrigation systems, and the other half will remain with their workload doubled."

Armakan frowned. "That sounds risky. We could lose many of our slaves that way."

Wosret shook his head in disagreement. "What does it matter? The canals shouldn't take too long, and so they will only have their workload doubled for a very short amount of time. They can handle a little extra work, and they multiply like rabbits anyways."

Armakan didn't argue any further.

"Then we are all in agreement?"

"Yes." Narmes concurred.

Armakan only nodded his comply with his eyes closed. He had an old habit of shutting his eyes completely closed when he was around his uncle, as if he was imagining himself in his happy place.

Sharrkan didn't say anything, mostly due to the fact that he wasn't listening. When the topic of slavery came up, it reminded him of the slave he met earlier today. What was her name again?... Yamuraiha, that was it. She was strange, that woman. Then again women in general were strange, but she was definitely _different_. The way she didn't hesitate to yell at him, was just downright rebellious. Even if he wasn't a prince, she could have gotten in serious trouble for the things she said to him. He wondered if her sharp tongue ever gave her master a lot of grief. His uncle's clipped voice brought him out of his musings.

"_Sharrkan_," he called out in irritance.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"I asked if we were all in agreement." Wosret reminded him while knitting his brows together, making his wrinkles crease even more.

Sharrkan attempted an apologetic smile. "For what exactly?" He received aggravated glances from the others. Narmes practically face palmed.

"Pay attention!" Wosret snapped at him making the other three jump. "Do you agree to let half of the royal construction slaves go dig new canals for the crops and the other half stay and double their workload?"

"Um, I guess so." Sharrkan scratched his head absentmindedly. He wondered if the slave girl named Yamuraiha would be affected by this order.

"There is no guessing when making a decision in the presence of a king," Wosret spat. "Yes, or No? Which is it?"

"Yes." Sharrkan answered right away. His uncle's mood was beginning to spiral downwards putting the rest of them on edge.

Wosret sighed in frustration while muttering something under his breath. He turned to Narmes making him straighten again. "Are there any more reports?"

Narmes studied his notes. "A group of imported slaves arrived a few days ago. That's pretty much it my Lord."

"I see, any news from you Armakan? Sharrkan?" They shook their heads.

Satisfied, the king nodded his head. "Very well, our private meeting has come to a close. You're all dismissed."

The three bowed to him in the same fashion as before and left their king painstakingly organize his notes. King Wosret usually wanted to be left alone after his meetings. For some reason they always put him in a bad mood and everyone tries to avoid him as much as possible when he is in a bad mood.

Once the two princes and the High Ambassador closed the wooden doors behind them, they simultaneously let out a relieved sigh. Then they all chuckled as they walked down the hall together. Torches burned with incense to brighten the enclosed hallway and to welcome good spirits to protect the palace. Occasionally hieroglyphics would pop up, entailing a historical event of their nation's past. None of them paid any heed to the writings as they passed them though.

"It's such a relief to get those weekly meetings over with," Sharrkan sighed dramatically and stretched his arms. "Uncle gets on my nerves when he's like that. Everything I do he has to criticize me for it."

"It doesn't help that you egg him on," Armakan huffed. He somehow managed to walk around with his eyes closed. _Now that's a good talent to have_, Sharrkan thought to himself. "But I do wish he wasn't so hard on us."

"The king acts the way he does only because he cares," Narmes reminded them. "He thinks of you two as his sons."

"Only because he wasn't able to have any of his own," Armakan sniffed.

"Too many harlots ruined him when he was young, you know when mankind discovered fire?" Sharrkan added, and Armakan sniggered.

Narmes frowned at them. "Which reminds me, don't forget about the royal banquet tomorrow night."

"Why? Are there going to be harlots there?" Sharrkan laughed.

"Just the usual dancing girls. _And_ my little sister is coming as well, Armakan." Narmes nudged him and Armakan raised his brows at his friend.

"Is she? I suppose I should say hello then," he replied with aloof nonchalance.

"Hey come on now, don't be like that!" Sharrkan poked his brother in the ribs grinning ear to ear. "Everyone knows that she has the hots for you-"

"It's quite adorable actually," Narmes cut in.

"-and she _is_ pretty cute. So you should-"

"Honestly, you two are just embarrassing yourselves." Armakan complained while their surroundings brightened.

The dark corridor opened up into a bright commons area with high ceilings. The pillars supporting the ceiling was decorated with depictions of the bright sands and mountains, with rich hues of orange, red, and gold. The ceiling itself was one huge mural of the sun, the creator of Heliohapt. The walls were cut into open archways, to allow natural sunlight to stream through. The room was called the Sun room fittingly. The room had four corridors, including the torchlit hall the three had entered from. Two of them had staircases, one ascending and the other descending. The fourth hallway across from the one the two princes and High Ambassador came through was the most grand of all. It was the Grand corridor that lead to the Royal Throne room. Two heavily equipped guards stood watch at the entrance. Their helmets were the heads of jackals, and their eyes seemed to follow every person's move.

Priests were scurrying around lighting torches ablaze before the upcoming darkness of night fell. A coal pit contained hot bright embers in the center of the room. The priests believed the smoke would calm the nerves and senses and add warmth to the area. Why the priests found adding more heat to a desert welcoming, no one really knew. It was more of a hospitality concept, and as of right now several elders were huddled around the pit lounging on bright pillows and rugs. Each of them were smoking long thin kiseru pipes, and Sharrkan's nostrils flared at the scent of pipeweed. They bowed their heads respectively towards the younger princes. Armakan waved his hand dismissively to acknowledge them and they resumed their chatter. Then he turned and scowled at Sharrkan and Narmes.

"While you two continue to play matchmaker like a bunch of teenage girls, I'm going to head to my bed chambers and get some rest. " The oldest prince announced.

Narmes gave him an apologetic look. "Don't be like that-"

"Good night, Narmes, Sharrkan." Armakan waved his hand behind his head as he made his way to the escalating staircase. He ascended up the steps and disappeared behind a beaded curtain.

"He's touchy," Sharrkan commented by his older friend's side.

"We were only teasing, it wasn't like we were being serious."

Sharrkan snorted. "He only acts like that because _he's _the one being serious. I've seen him with a lot of women, but I've never seen a woman make him lose composure like Suma can."

Narmes smirked, and Sharrkan chuckled.

"I think it's time for me to head home. I've been stuck here since dawn," Narmes announced. "Plus I really want to wash the scent of _wine _out of my skin, _Sharrkan._" He added extra emphasis on 'wine,' and 'Sharrkan.'

The young prince looked at him innocently. "Say hello to the mother for me… And give Suma a kiss for my brother." Sharrkan made a kissy face and Narmes sniggered.

"See you tomorrow night."

* * *

The Royal banquets, were more or less a wild party the royal family threw that was filled with booze, women, and of course more booze. It was meant as a recognition night for the King and his two nephews. Friends and family of the royals were invited, and the noble families of Heliohapt were welcomed as well.

The party was held in the banquet hall. White shimmery curtains hung from the ceilings creating elegant hoops that gave the illusion of clouds. The pillars in this room were ornately painted with cattails and rich cool waters. River water was allowed to flow in from the stone floors, creating an indoor pond complete with lily pads and reeds. Music flowed through the dreamlike air, and laughter filled the hall with a glowing warmth. Many imagined that this is what heaven would be like.

The room hushed when King Wosret dramatically entered onto the raised threshold. He raised a hand for complete silence, and the entire hall obeyed. He was dressed in some of his finest robes; a red cloak and a gold embroidered off the shoulder neckline. Each finger wore a ring, and his chest was blanketed with the jewelry he wore around his neck. His gold _nemes_ and goatee gleamed in the dim light. His white hair glowed and his copper toned skin shone, making everyone present almost believe that he truly was a god. The King opened his arms in a welcoming manner.

"My brothers and sisters. Sons and daughters. My royal subjects, we are here tonight to give thanks to the gods. Today marks the twentieth year of my reign, and over a thousands years of our great country's existence." Applause and cheers broke out, and Wosret waited a few seconds before raising his hand for silence again. "Furthermore," he continued. "Tonight, we celebrate in the richness of our blessings that we have been granted with. However, I cannot take credit for my rule alone. I have had help from my late brother's sons, the heirs to the throne, and my beloved nephews. I present to you, the princes of Heliohapt. Prince Armakan, and Prince Sharrkan."

Loud cheers and applause erupted in the entire hall as Wosret stepped aside and the two princes entered through the curtained entrance. Armakan wore a serious expression as he came into the spotlight, and his eyes were shut tight. His expression was incurably regal. Sharrkan on the other hand beamed at the entire crowd. He seemed to shine when the attention was placed on him. The two were similarly dressed as their uncle, though Armakan wore a royal blue cloak while Sharrkan had a purple one.

Once the clamor quieted down, King Wosret clapped his hands together with relish. "Now, let the festivities begin!"

The music started once more, and servants brought out beverages with exquisite dishes of food. Wosret approached his nephews and embraced them. "I am so grateful to have my nephews here by my side. I think of you two as my own sons," he murmured in their ears.

Sharrkan awkwardly patted his back. "Yeah, yeah. We're glad to have you too, Uncle."

Armakan didn't say anything, but Sharrkan felt him stiffen next to him. His brother wasn't exactly a touchy-feely person. Wosret suddenly boomed with laughter, and turned around while slinging his arms around their shoulders. "Look!" He shouted with joy. "Look at our people. See how happy they are?"

Sharrkan looked and beheld the party going on around them. Dancers wearing brightly colored robes and swirled around the dance floor. People clapped and stomped their feet to the beat of the music. A group of teenage boys were dunking each other's heads in the pond, all coming out dripping wet and grinning. Lovers held hands as they twisted their bodies around each other to the music. Groups of friends lounged on the cushioned benches as they drank, smoked, and sipped their wine. A group of children chased each other around the pillars shrieking with laughter. Sharrkan's vision went beyond them and outside the open windows. Warm lights flickering from the city seemed to dance with the sweet music as well. He imagined that the party wasn't just confined to the banquet hall, but it extended its warmth to the rest of the country. At the moment he couldn't imagine being anywhere else in the world.

"This," their uncle said. "This is what being a King is all about. Seeing your people happy. Never forget that."


	3. Trials

"Hey, Narmes! Don't get too messed up. I kind of want to see your ugly face around here tomorrow!" Sharrkan yelled mockingly over to his friend who was currently being flocked by a group of scantily dressed women. Their breasts were fully uncovered, which actually wasn't an oddity in their country. Their navel's however were a different matter, and they were in danger of exposure. Many Heliohaptian women weren't embarrassed to show some skin, but others still wished to cover themselves modestly.

Narmes threw a desperate glance over his shoulder directed at Sharrkan. The panic on his face was clearly visible to everyone around them except the obnoxious women. They began to tug on his clothes flirtatiously, and he mouthed a subtle, _'help me!' _Sharrkan laughed as he shook his head. Narmes glared at him with a look of utter betrayal as the women dragged him away in flurry of bright dresses and the lingering scent of multiple perfumes. Someone let out a deep chuckle and sat next to Sharrkan.

"He's going to stab you in the back one day because of that." Armakan settled himself on the plush pillows splayed out on the ground. He carried a plate of fire roasted scorpions and the tail of one stuck out of his mouth as he munched on it with gusto. He offered Sharrkan one but he wrinkled his nose and shook his head, sipping wine out of his goblet.

"It's his own fault that girls fawn over freakishly tall men," he remarked haughtily.

"Or that being an ambassador is more approachable than a prince," Armakan added.

His younger brother arched his eyebrows at him. "Jealous?" Sharrkan teased.

Armakan snorted into his own goblet of wine. "As if. It takes a special woman to move me."

Sharrkan smirked at him while sipping more wine. A flutter of movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He watched as a familiar slender woman whirled around the hall to the rhythm of the drums, tiptoeing with feet as light as a gazelle. Her light blush robes were off the shoulder and were cinched at the waist with a translucent cloth that ran daintily all the way to the ground. Her attire wasn't as revealing as some of the other women's clothing, but she made it look ten times more attractive. Her long hair was elegantly braided at the crown of her head and fell into long white waves. Lotus flowers were weaved in between her plaits. Her green eyes sparkled in the dim light as she danced, catching the attention of numerous men. Including Armakan.

Sharrkan gave him the largest smile possible. "Speaking of your special woman-"

"I think you're drinking a little too much alcohol tonight, Sharrkan. I don't feel like carrying you to your room when you're drunk." Armakan stated hastily.

Sharrkan laughed as he stood up and started dragging his older brother off the ground, making him drop his plate full of scorpions with a clatter. "Don't try to change the subject!"

Armakan turned as pink as the woman's clothes as his younger brother pulled him to his feet and started pushing him towards the dancing woman. "What are you-?"

"Just giving you a nudge in the right direction!" Sharrkan chortled. He gave his blushing brother one final shove. "Go dance with Suma!"

Armakan fell forward and accidently bumped into Narmes' younger sister. He shot Sharrkan a electric glare as his younger brother grinned triumphantly back at him. Suma turned around and smiled at Armakan with pleasant surprise. Armakan softened his gaze towards her and held out his hand. She took it with a slight red tint to her cheeks. The attention of many was brought to the oldest prince and the vibrant young woman he was dancing with. Sharrkan could already hear the rumours flying around about his brother and Suma.

"Who is that girl?"

"Do you think a royal engagement is on the way?"

"I bet they're in love!"

Sharrkan inwardly gave himself a pat on the back. There is nothing like watching your older brother sputter and blush like a little boy when he's holding a pretty girl's hand. He watched them twirl around the dance floor. He scanned the room for Narmes, in case he was missing the scene between their siblings. Right on cue the tall man wobbled into sight, looking mildly disgruntled as he straightened his clothing and ornaments. When he noticed his little sister dancing with Armakan, his mouth dropped open in disbelief. Sharrkan caught his eye and gave him a double thumbs up. Narmes grinned back slowly and nodded in approval before he was snatched by another tipsy woman.

Before he knew it, Sharrkan managed to find a girl for himself. She had straight short hair, and a pretty yellow off the shoulder dress with a gold belt. They lounged on a bench in a corner of the banquet hall as they sipped their wine together. She giggled as he murmured suggestions in her ear. He would occasionally grow aware of the music floating around them, or his uncle's booming laugh echo through the air, but he was just mostly lost in this woman's company. Through an alcohol influenced daze, he was distantly aware brushing his hand in her hair as they kissed. Once they broke apart, he scowled and dumped the rest of his wine in a nearby potted plant when she wasn't looking. Armakan was right, he might be drinking _too_ much wine tonight. It would be wise for him to stop drinking for the rest of the night before he did anything stupid.

Eventually, Sharrkan grew tired of this woman's presence to the point where he even felt annoyed with her. She kept fluttering her lashes at him when her eyes weren't exactly pretty. He's definitely seen prettier. When she attempted to try and peck him on the lips again, he decided that it was time to ditch this girl. He somehow managed to dump her with a lonely nobleman he hardly knew. He walked away with a grin and a wave while the miffed girl watch him leave. She gripped her glass of wine so hard it almost shattered. He realized he hadn't even asked for her name.

Not knowing what to do with himself, Sharrkan decided to wander about the party. He occasionally stopped to chat with some friends, or flirt with some women. However his actions were half-hearted and he only acted like he had some interest in them. He was mostly lost to his thoughts as to why he acted the way he did around that girl he had kissed. Of course it wasn't unusual that he kissed her. He had kissed lots of girls before, and usually he had a competition with Armakan to see who could make out with the most girls. Now that Armakan was off with a woman that he truly held feelings for, Sharrkan had no one to compete against. Narmes was completely out of the question. He wouldn't take part in their game because he, "would never disgrace a lady like that." Or so he would say.

Sharrkan supposed that his lack of enthusiasm came from the absence of his brother. Armakan was his best friend, and it saddened him to realize that his brother would soon have someone else constantly by his side. Of course he wanted his brother to be happy no matter what, but the fact that the two brothers wouldn't always be partners in crime was hard for him to come to terms with. The booming laugh of Wosret brought him out of his thoughts like a cold splash of water. He jumped when his uncle unexpectedly wrapped an arm over his shoulders.

"My little Sharrkan doesn't seem to be having any fun tonight!" Wosret hiccuped in his ear. His breath stunk of alcohol, and his speech was a bit slurred. So Sharrkan wasn't the only one drinking too much tonight. It must be a family thing.

Wosret began to prod him in the ribs. "Hey are you listening? Who's that pretty girl that Armakan is hanging around with tonight? Do you think its too early if I started sending out wedding announcements?"

Sharrkan couldn't help but laugh at his uncle. Just hours before he was criticizing Armakan for not finding a wife yet, and the moment he's seen with a girl Wosret already begins wedding planning. He's like some middle-aged mother hen."Geez, uncle. You're much more pleasant when you're not working," he teased.

Wosret beamed at him. "Of course! There's no time for jokes when ruling a kingdom!" He began to sway sending Sharrkan staggering against him. At first he thought his uncle was going to pass out, but he realized that was trying to dance in his drunken state. He struggled under his uncle's weight to steady him.

"But really! Who is she?" Wosret burped.

Sharrkan was actually surprised that his uncle didn't know who she was. Suma has been in his presence many times, even in the royal court. "That's Narmes' younger sister, Suma."

All at once Wosret seemed to sober up enough to straighten up and let his arm drop to his side. Sharrkan rubbed his aching shoulder from supporting the drunk king. He noticed that his uncle was staring intently at his brother and Suma, who were speaking quietly with each other by an open window.

"The Titi's daughter… Yes I remember her now." Wosret murmured loud enough for only Sharrkan to hear. "The girl who Armakan grew up with."

"Yeah, but she's had a crush on him for years. Only till recently did he start to reciprocate her feelings," Sharrkan explained with a chuckle. "He's so _oblivious_-"

"Oh that simply won't do," Wosret sighed.

Sharrkan stared at him blankly. "What? Why not?"

Wosret tore his gaze from the couple and gave his youngest nephew a sympathetic look. "Listen, my nephew. Marriage is a huge part of the royal family."

Sharrkan rolled his eyes. "I know _that_. You never let me hear the end of it either. It's not like they're that serious-"

"Just listen for once!" Wosret snapped. Sharrkan flinched. His uncle hardly ever grew angry at a Royal Banquet. "Marriage is such huge part of us because it decides our future _Queen_, which ultimately decides that fate of our country. Armakan can't just marry anyone he wishes to."

Sharrkan frowned. "I don't see why not. Suma is from a high status family, plus her brother is the High Ambassador. My parents loved each other when they got married, for example."

"My brother and his wife were extremely lucky. Most of the time, royal weddings are arranged for political reasons and not for love." Wosret sighed and gently placed a comforting hand on Sharrkan's shoulder. "Being a part of a royal family has its perks, but sometimes we have to sacrifice our own happiness for the happiness of our people. It is our duty. I myself have done it many times. I just want to make sure that Armakan is making the right choice when choosing his wife, because he chooses the future Queen. I want him to look around to see if there is someone more fitting to be Queen first, for the sake of our country. This same rule applies to you as well." Wosret's grip tightened on Sharrkan's shoulder. "It is your duty to do what is best for your people. It is what you were _born to do_."

Sharrkan only nodded as he watched Armakan reach for Suma's hand. He gently brought her tanned fingers to his lips and kissed them.

* * *

Sweat dripped into Sharrkan's eyes as he parried another one of Armakan's blows. The two brothers were sparring with each other, which was something they did regularly. Only this time Armakan was swinging his obsidian sword with such ferocity, it even surprised his younger brother. He was handling his brother's swordplay with extra caution. He side-stepped and traversed so that his older brother immediately had to change direction. Their swords clashed countless times, and Sharrkan knew that he needed to end their match before an accident ensued.

He pushed forward with all his might and slammed the flat of his blade against Armakan's, forcing him to step backwards. Sharrkan smirked; this was his brother's fatal weakness. With one final thrust, he twisted the hilt of Armakan's sword with his own forcing his sword flying out of his hands. Using Armakan's unbalance to his benefit, Sharrkan kicked out and tripped him, making him fall flat on his back. The black tip of Sharrkan's blade pointed at Armakan's throat. He sighed and raised his hands in defeat.

"Alright, what's going on with you?" Sharrkan asked his brother in annoyance. "You're being too careless, and you're usually a more formidable foe than this." He sheathed his sword and helped his brother off the ground.

Armakan dragged his feet over to his fallen sword that was embedded in the golden sand. He stooped over and picked it up to examine it for any signs of damage. Satisfied with his one-over, he sheathed it in it's scabbard. Still refusing to speak with his little brother, he dragged his feet over to the pond. He kneeled at the water's edge, grumbling to himself. He scooped lukewarm water into his cupped hands and splashed it on his face.

It was about late afternoon in the courtyard, and Sharrkan's patience waxed thin in the midday heat. "Are you just going to sit there and ignore me?"

Armakan didn't respond. He repositioned his body so that he was sitting cross-legged facing away from his brother. Sharrkan bit back a sharp hiss of annoyance as he came to sit next to Armakan's side. Something must be really bothering him if he wouldn't even speak. They sat in silence as Armakan stared at the pond with empty green eyes. Sharrkan tried to come up with anything that would have put his brother in such a depressed mood.

"Was it something that I did?"

Armakan shook his head.

"Did you get in another fight with Narmes?" Armakan and Narmes occasionally got in a tiff with one another. Both of them would pout like a little school boy until they made up.

"No."

Sharrkan scratched his head. A realization popped into his mind. "Did something happen with Suma?" Armakan probably hadn't seen her since the banquet, and that was over a week ago.

He stiffened and shut his eyes. His thick brows scrunched together, making the snakes tattooed on his cheeks shrink. "Don't even mention her name."

"So something _did_ happen." Sharrkan confirmed. He gazed at his brother sympathetically. "What exactly did happen? I thought everything was all like 'the birds and bees' for you two."

Armakan's shoulders slumped. "Nope. Not even close."

Sharrkan waited for him to continue, but grew irritated with his brother when he didn't say anything else. "Are you going to tell me what happened or not?"

Armakan let out a deep breath and he leaned back on his hands. "Not yet," he decided. "It's still too fresh… Let's just say that things are complicated between us right now."

Sharrkan wasn't very satisfied with his answer, but he decided not to pry any further. "Alright."

They looked up in surprise when they heard rushed footsteps cross the bridge. Narmes and three other officials were murmuring to each other in urgent, hushed, whispers. When he spotted the two princes, Sharrkan waved him over. Narmes nodded at the other officials before jogging to where the brother's were sitting at the pond. His shoulders were taut, and the expression on his face was tense. He shifted his feet restlessly on the ground, as if he couldn't wait to get out of there.

"What's the matter, Narmes?" Armakan asked him curiously.

Narmes looked over his shoulder in the direction of the gates. "I don't have time to stand around and explain. Come with me and I'll tell you." He took off in the direction of the gates without waiting for the other two.

Sharrkan and Armakan shared worried looks with each other before they jumped to their feet and followed in pursuit of Narmes. They were leaping down the stone steps that descended down into the city before they caught up with him. Sharrkan could feel beneath his feet the indents of numerous footsteps that had carved into these steps over many generations.

"Talk to us," Sharrkan coaxed Narmes.

"I'm surprised you haven't heard yet. It's practically all over the city! King Wosret is furious!"

"We've been training," Armakan explained. "What is going on?"

Narmes bit his bottom lip. "The slaves revolted early this morning."

Armakan gasped and Sharrkan almost tripped on his own feet. They reached the bottom of the staircase and dodged people scurrying around the palace square. Sharrkan had to skid on his feet to change directions when Narmes sharply veered to the left. He realized that they were headed towards the courthouse.

"How many?" Armakan asked, winded.

"At Least half of the Royal Construction slaves. King Wosret says that this is the largest uprising in almost twenty-three years." The three of them ran into a flock of chickens. The birds were sent into a disarray of panic as they clucked and scattered away from them. Civilians stared at the three men as if they had gone nuts. "I've been told that a single man rallied them."

Sharrkan widened his eyes at Narmes in shock. "Just one man was able to start the largest uprising in over twenty years?"

He nodded. "When they were informed that half of them would leave to work on the irrigation systems and the other half stay and have their workload doubled, he got them to protest."

"Is that where we are going? To this man's trial?" Sharrkan asked. They rounded a bend in the road into a neat path that was covered in the shade of palm trees.

"Yes."

Armakan wrinkled his nose in disgust. "This man could get killed for his stupid actions," he growled.

"We'll see what happens. He wasn't born a slave; he was a pirate that was brought in with the group of imported slaves just a few weeks ago. They may give him a second chance," Narmes explained.

The three men slowed to a halt as they reached the large square building made from alabaster stone. Hieroglyphics that depicted a trial was carved into the walls. The doors were left ajar to let air flow in and out of the building. The shutters of the windows were hanging open from their hinges to allow light in. Guessing from the voices coming from the courthouse, the hearing was just about to begin. As quietly as possible Sharrkan, Armakan, and Narmes entered the courthouse so they didn't disturb the meeting.

Inside the courthouse, many highly dressed noblemen and women sat around a large circular ring. They murmured to each other in hushed tones, their identical green eyes flicking inside the ring impatiently. The middle of the ring dropped into a ditch so that the observers could look down on the interrogated. A barred door carved into the stone walls of the ditch led to an underground miniature jail for the accused to be held in. Unlike the clean cut stone flooring where the higher-ups stood, the floors of the ditch was complete sand. It's purpose was specifically to keep the questioned slaves on dirt floors to remind them of their place in society.

A head council member that sat on a raised chair motioned the ambassador and the two princes over to him. They weaved around the other nobles and came to the man. The people whispered to each other as they passed them.

"It's the princes!"

"To bother them with such a problem…"

"Did the king send them?"

As far as Sharrkan could see, his uncle was nowhere to be found in the courtroom. This case was most likely not so high up in the system that it required his presence, although Narmes said that it had rather upset him. This headman would serves as judge in his uncle's place during this hearing.

"My two young princes," he said while bowing his head respectively towards them. "We did not mean to disturb you with such a lowly slave. Only the High Ambassador is required to be here on the King's orders. You may stay or leave, whatever pleases you."

Armakan and Sharrkan shared looks. They were still hot and sweaty from their training, and they were definitely not dressed to represent themselves as the princes of Heliohapt. However, Sharrkan had never taken part in a slave hearing. This one was extra significant because this man caused the largest slave uproar in over twenty years. Sharrkan's interest had been piqued, and his curiosity got the best of him.

"I'll be here just to observe," he said to the judge.

Armakan gave him a surprised look. Usually Sharrkan would do anything to get out of taking part in a hearing. "I suppose I'll stay here as well."

The husky judge nodded his head, and motioned for them to sit in the chairs beside him. The barred door opened with a loud groan as Sharrkan took his seat in between his brother and Narmes. The tense atmosphere immediately heightened as a slave driver wearing a white loin and head cloth appeared out of the cell pulling on steel chains. The nobles leaned forward and glared daggers at the slave as he reluctantly stepped out of the cell.

His skin was lightly tanned, and he was quite muscular. His long dark hair was tied into a pony tail that fell to about his knees. His slave driver pulled on his chains like a leash and brought the man to center of the ring, facing the judge with his wrists chained behind his back. The judge narrowed his eyes at the slave, and he glared back. The driver forced the slave down to his knees, but he never bowed his head nor broke eye contact with the judge. The room fell silent. Cicadas buzzed in the palm trees outside.

The judge and the slave stared at each other for what seemed like ages, until the judge finally decided to break the silence. "Why do you not speak, slave?"

The slave's shoulders tensed. Now that he was closer, Sharrkan could tell that he had been badly beaten. There were bruises and scratches all over his body. There was a particularly nasty gash above his left eyebrow that was still oozing blood.

"Aren't I not supposed to speak until spoken to?" The slave asked in a steely voice. Shocked whispers flared up in the room at his response, but Sharrkan was not surprised at all that he was giving the judge attitude. How ludicrous, he thought to himself. He noticed Armakan close his eyes like he was going to take a nap. Narmes looked down at the slave through narrowed eyes.

"Given the circumstances, I would think that you have abandoned all your etiquette by now," the judge replied with his tone matched to the slave.

The slave didn't say anything else, and just continued to stare at the judge with gleaming eyes. The head judge decided to continue speaking.

"From what I read from the reports," he said. "I understand that early this morning at sunrise, you arrived at the royal construction site with the other slaves. There the architects informed you of the irrigation plan, where half of you would leave and the rest would stay and have their workload doubled." He paused and gave the slave a loathing look. "Was that too much to ask?"

"These people were already worn down from the work that they already had." The slave replied in a deadly calm voice. "The ones that would have been forced to stay would have _died_. So yes I think it was too much to ask from them."

Sharrkan was perturbed by his comment. Sure the construction was hard work, that's why it was left to the slaves, but it wasn't hard enough work to kill them. Besides, they were used to it. A little more effort didn't kill anyone.

"So you took it upon yourself to decide what was best for them?" The judge snarled. He stood up and gripped the stone railing and glared down at him." I do not think you understand the extent of your crimes."

"And I _know_ that you mighty and great ones-" the slave swept his gaze around the crowd before settling on the judge again. "-understand what you are doing to these people. Do you know what I have seen for just being here for a week? I've seen men drop dead in their tracks. I've seen women be-"

"Enough!" The judge roared making everyone there shrink. The slave however met the judge's challenging gaze with his own. "I will not listen to anymore of your nonsense. Do you even realize that your life is at stake here? Slave masters always know what is best for their slaves. In your case, being a Royal Construction slave, your master is the _King._ Those orders were given by the _King_, and you have defied him. His words are the law. Your life is hanging by a single thread-"

"I couldn't just watch hundreds of other people on their last leg die! I had to do _something_!" The slave lost his cool. His driver began to push him lower to the ground. "These people are starving, they are sick, and living in constant fear! They live their entire lives in the mud like pigs! None of them have enough to eat or have a place to sleep in the district. I've had countless children come to me for food when even I-"

"Be still, slave!" The slave driver slapped his face. The man fell on his side from the harsh force.

"The more he runs his mouth the closer he is to being hanged on the south wall," Sharrkan murmured with a scowl."

The driver gripped the man's ponytail and pulled on it to bring him back to kneeling on the ground. The slave glared at him. "My name is not _slave_. My name is, Sinbad. I am Sinbad of the seven seas!"

The driver rolled his eyes at him. "We do not care of your name slave."

"You are Sinbad the slave now. Or rather, just slave." The judge interrupted, but he stroked his white beard in feigned amusement. "You were a pirate, a thief, and a criminal. I say your enslavement was well deserved."

"No one deserves to be a slave," Sinbad spat.

"You truly do not understand how things work around here," the judge decided unnecessarily. "We give the slave food, water, shelter, and work. They don't have to worry about anything else. Many of these people would not have a place to live if it weren't for us. They are only slaves to ensure order and stability in Heliohapt."

Sinbad didn't say anything and just stared at him with wide eyes as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. The judge stared at him hard, and the whole room held their breath as they awaited for Sinbad's final judgement.

"Given by your actions, I should condemn you to death. However, you have only been a slave for about a week. You still do not understand the meaning of our ways, and so I will give you a second chance." The entire room erupted in an uproar.

"What is he doing?" Sharrkan hissed. Armakan curled his lip and Narmes looked like someone had just punched his grandma. "Is that even allowed? By law this man should be put to death!"

"I have no idea what the judge is doing," Armakan said.

"We'll just have to trust the the high council man's judgement," Narmes grunted.

The judge held up his hands for silence, and the room fell into quiet after a few moments. "But I'm not sparing your life without a price," he continued. "Forty lashes at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning, in front of the rest of the slaves at the construction site. Then the King's orders will be carried out as written. This hearing has come to a close." He nodded at the slave driver to take Sinbad back to his cell.

The driver began to pull the slave's restraints towards the cell, but Sinbad jumped forward. "Listen to me! These people are suffering because of your people-"

"Do not make me change my mind, slave!" The judge bellowed.

The slave driver was struggling with Sinbad's chains. The judge nodded at some nearby guards. They ran forward and jumped over the railing into the sand pit. They grabbed Sinbad's arms as he thrashed around, kicking up billows of sand. One sucker punched him in the gut, and Sinbad coughed as the wind was knocked out of him. At that moment he looked up and caught Sharrkan's eye. The slave glared at him with an intensity Sharrkan had never felt before. His skin crawled. Sinbad spat into the ground earning another brash punch by the guard. The driver and the guards finally managed to drag the slave back into the jail cell. The metal door swung shut with a loud slam.

The judge turned to the princes letting out a weary sigh. "I apologize for the things you had to witness here today, my princes."

The two brothers didn't reply. Armakan nudged Sharrkan gently with his shoulder.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go home and wash all this sweat off."

Sharrkan nodded and stood up from his chair, making the wood screech against the stone tiles.

Narmes stood up as well. "I must go to King Wosret and inform him of everything that transpired here." The Ambassador announced.

The three of them walked past the other noblemen. They stared at them, making Sharrkan feel uncomfortable. When they exited the courthouse, Sharrkan was surprised at how quickly the time had passed. It was almost sun down. The sand gleamed orange in the dark hues of the waning sunlight. The Royal palace, his home, was a stark silhouette against the sunset.

The three of them traveled back in silence. The hearing had made them feel disheartened and not in the mood for their usual goofiness. Once they reached the courtyard, Narmes bidded them a good evening and left to go give his report to the King. Sharrkan walked up the steps of the palace, and sat down at the top with a sigh. Armakan leaned against a pillar in the doorway.

"What's the matter?" The older brother asked him. "You've never been so quiet this long."

Sharrkan didn't even turn to look at him. "Why have we never been to the district? Why have we never visited the monuments during the Royal Construction?"

Armakan breathed deeply before replying, "It's not our duty to look after slaves. We have more important things to tend to than worry over them on a daily basis."

"Are the things that man said true?"

Armakan came to his brother's side and put a hand on his shoulder. "That man wasn't born into slavery, and he has only been one for a little over a week. His new circumstances are rather… Shocking to him, I suppose. He's exaggerating because he is not used to his new surroundings yet. I wouldn't worry about it. Don't sweat the petty stuff, and don't pet the sweaty stuff." Armakan chuckled before leaving Sharrkan to go bathe.

Sharrkan listened to the frogs croak in the pond. He knew his older brother was right, but Sinbad's voice wouldn't stop ringing in his head. He knew that the slaves didn't live such a comfortable life as he did, but he didn't think it was that bad. He frowned. Of course he had never seen the district where the slaves lived, or any of the current construction sites for himself. His interaction with slaves was very little, so he didn't really know of the conditions they lived in.

Sharrkan watched the sun set unmoving from his spot atop the stairs. He thought about going in to bathe as well, but he knew he was still wound up from the day's events to settle down. The stars were just barely starting to twinkle in the sky when he decided that he would go for a walk in the city.

He walked across the bridge, and the frogs and crickets sang their soft tunes in the calm night air. One would never guess that a man was about to get whipped forty lashes in less than twenty-four hours. He stroked the walls of the open gates as he passed them. Hieroglyphics told the tale of many mighty kings of Heliohapt, his ancestors. Armakan will someday be carved into these walls, he realized with a jolt. He descended the grand staircase, watching the city lights flicker. The peaceful silence was broken when he heard a screech from below.

Sharrkan halted half way down the steps and beheld the scene occurring in the middle of the city square. Lamps at the bottom of the stairs provided enough light for him to see two palace guards scuffling with two other people. One of the guards grabbed the smaller of the two, a little boy, by his braid and tossed him into the street.

"Hey!" The boy yelped. He ran back towards the brawl and started pulling on their tunic. One of them turned around and leered at him.

"Get lost!" The man snarled. He kicked the kid away and raised his spear up in a threatening manner. The boy cowered.

"Stop it!" A woman's voice begged.

The two guards sneered at her. "Are you telling us what to do?"

"It should be the other way around; _we'll _be the ones telling you what to do."

"She sure is pretty. For a slave that is." The two guards chortled, and they advanced on the woman. She was carrying something in her arms, and wore a long headdress. By the way she and the boy were dressed, Sharrkan guessed that they were slaves. The woman slunk back against their advances.

"Let's see more of that pretty face of yours under that ugly piece of fabric." One of the guards sneered. She fought back as the grabbed at her headdress, but one grabbed her hands and the other pulled the headdress off of her. A bronze vase clattered out of her hands, and one guard kicked it away. Sharrkan recognized her long blue hair instantly. She was the slave he gave the wine jar to the other day!

One of them whistled. "She _is _pretty."

"Let's see what else she's hiding under those clothes." The other guard smirked at her sadistically. "And maybe play around with it."

The boy ran and tried to pull the men off of her. "Stop! Let Miss Yam go!" He yelled while banging them with his fists.

"Aladdin, don't!" The woman cried out.

Without even thinking, Sharrkan started walking down the remaining steps as calm and collected as he could manage. "Guards," he called in an authoritative voice.

The two instantly jerked away from the slaves, almost knocking the boy over. The woman stood frozen to the spot, and the boy ran to her and hugged her protectively around the waist. The guards straightened their clothes and faced the prince in shocked surprise.

"Prin-"

"What are you doing?" Sharrkan asked them acutely. He folded his arms in front of him and narrowed his eyes.

The two guards shared ashamed glances and didn't reply. They gained sudden interest in their white sandals. Sharrkan stopped a few feet in front of them. The boy tightened his grip around the woman's waist, and she wrapped her hands around his head. Their eyes were bright with fear.

"If your were doing your job, then you must have been protecting the palace from a little slave boy and woman." Sharrkan scoffed at them, and the two guards dragged their feet in the sand. "But I'm assuming that you weren't doing your job. I don't care what you do with this slave woman, but I do care that you are doing it on the job, in my presence, and in front of the Royal Palace; where the King lives."

The two guards flinched each time Sharrkan listed something. "We're sorry," they apologized in unison.

"Get back to your posts." Sharrkan sniffed.

"Yes, sir!" The guards argued with each other as they raced past Sharrkan, leaving him alone with the two slaves. He looked at them, and they backed away.

"Miss Yam," the boy said warily.

She carefully studied Sharrkan's face, and recognition sparked in her eyes. Her shoulders relaxed. "It's okay. I think," she said. "This is the person that gave me the vase."

The boy instantly loosened his grip around her waist. "Really?" He asked with excitement dancing in his eyes.

He skipped over to Sharrkan and started to study him, to the woman's mortification. The boy was wearing a small white turban, and poofy white rompers. Sharrkan felt uncomfortable as the the boy with dark blue hair and eyes looked him up and down. He suddenly seemed to deflate.

"You don't look the same say I imagined you," he sighed dejectedly.

Sharrkan was irked. "Excuse me?"

The boy brightened up again and started prancing around Sharrkan. "But you must be amazing! You're the one who helped Miss Yam!"

"Aladdin-" Miss Yam called out in warning. She watched Sharrkan like he was going to suddenly attack the small boy.

Sharrkan decided to ignore the little boy's frivolous actions and comments. He put his attention on the woman. "Why are you out so late? Don't slaves usually go home by now?"

The woman nodded stiffly. "Yes, but we were held back by our master because of the hearing today."

"And what were you doing so near the palace?"

The boy immediately stopped his dancing. "I wanted to see it," he murmured.

Sharrkan arched a brow at him. "See what?"

"The palace. I've never been this close before, and now seemed like a good time to go see it since the streets are empty. But then those two guards came over and..." The boy shivered.

"I see…" Sharrkan said.

Awkward silence followed after his comment. The woman looked around, and spotted her headdress lying in the sand a few feet away from her. She picked it up and shook it, making grits of sand fly around. She put it back on her head and turned toward him.

"Thank you for helping Aladdin and I," she began carefully. "And we'll be leaving now." She looked around the surrounding area again. "Where's my-"

Sharrkan picked up the bronze vase that had rolled to the foot of the stairs. "You'll be needing this." He walked over to her and handed it to her.

She took it hesitantly like before, but this time she didn't question him. "Um, thanks… For everything." She motioned Aladdin over with her hand. "Come, Aladdin. Let's go home." Aladdin ran to her side and she pressed her hand in the small of his back in the direction of their home.

"Bye, mister!" Aladdin called.

As he watched them leave silently, an idea sprouted in Sharrkan's brain. "Wait!"

Aladdin and the woman stiffened. They looked at him nervously.

"I'll escort you to your village." Sharrkan declared.

Aladdin's eyes widened, and the woman looked like Sharrkan had poked her between the eyes. "What?" They asked in unison.

Sharrkan felt embarrassed that he had to explain himself to them. "The city is dangerous at night," he said as he came to their side. "I don't feel like I can just leave you two alone to fend for yourselves."

The two continued to stare at him, like he had just sprouted wings and flown away. Finally, the woman consented. "Alright,' she said but looked like she was biting back a different response.

"Really? Does that mean everyone else will get to meet him too?" Aladdin started doing a happy dance again while pumping his fists in the air.

"I suppose so," she sighed. She looked at Sharrkan warily, then stiffly turned around and marched deeper into the city.

Sharrkan blinked and matched his pace with hers. Aladdin continued to perform his happy dance.

"Come this way!" Aladdin called to him enthusiastically. "Our village is over here!"


	4. A Walk in the Night

Tall square buildings made of alabaster stone rose high into the starlit sky as Sharrkan walked the streets with the two slaves. Paintings on the walls illustrated reeds and river grassess, and potted plants decorated the streets and rooftops. The only source of light came from the oil lamps that turned the windows of the buildings to a milky yellow, and the occasional blazing torch that sent sparks into the night sky. Voices echoed from the walls of the homes of the nobles with the occasional chorus of laughter enveloping them in warmth.

Despite the bright glow of the atmosphere emanating from the peaceful neighborhood, the slave woman's shoulders never relaxed and she kept her distance from Sharrkan, scrupulously keeping a couple feet away from him while casting anxious glances over in his direction. Whenever window shutters were thrown open or a door slammed, she would jump. Her constant fidgeting put Sharrkan on edge as well.

Aladdin didn't seem to notice her misanthropic mood. He continued to skip a few paces in front of them, only stopping from time to time to turn around and impatiently wait for them while hopping on one foot. His blue eyes sparkled with excitement, and he wore a constant grin on his face. Sharrkan couldn't help but think that the boy's fanatical bounciness was a little overbearing. He didn't see why he was making such a huge fuss out of this situation.

The woman seemed to notice Aladdin's antics as well, and she chuckled with uncertainty like Sharrkan would punish her for laughing. She stared at his sword strapped to his side apprehensively. He was actually quite relieved that she was finally starting to lighten up.

"Aladdin," she said in a teasing tone. "How do you have so much energy? I'm _exhausted_!" She covered her mouth and blushed like she had just cursed like a sailor. "I mean, it was a hard day's work well earned! Er I mean, it wasn't _too _hard, but it wasn't particularly easy either." She began twist her fingers in her headdress while laugh nervously. "What I mean to say that it was the perfect challenge for us… And by 'earned' I mean-"

Sharrkan gave her a withering look and she immediately stopped talking. This woman seems to talk an ear off when she is nervous he realized. Maybe he should try to be a little friendlier towards her.

"You know, I didn't quite exactly get your name the other day." That wasn't true, he remembered that her name was Yamuraiha. He assumed that this would make a great conversation starter and help her feel more comfortable around him.

Yamuraiha shot him a seething look and opened her mouth and then bit her lip right away, like she had thought better about what she had wanted to say. She looked away from him and watched Aladdin frolicking through the sand filled streets. "It's Yamuraiha."

When she didn't say anything else, he decided to give her his name. "Sharrkan," he said, though he purposefully left out his 'prince' title. She would probably get even more flustered if she knew his true identity, and he didn't want her and the boy to spread gossip about the youngest prince around the city. It would be best if no one knew besides them that he was going to visit the slave district.

She still continued to stare straight ahead of her, and Aladdin was saying something to them, but Sharrkan couldn't exactly hear what. The kid was just moving around too much. He decided that he would still try to get a conversation out of Yamuraiha.

"Is he your brother?" Sharrkan asked her awkwardly while motioning to Aladdin.

He watched as the young boy jumped on top of a pile of sandbags and looked over the other side like he could see the entire city from that height, and then leaped down on the other side. They looked similar enough to be related, both of them having blue hair and eyes complemented with fair skin, though Yamuraiha's hair was more teal and she held a lighter complexion than the boy.

At first Sharrkan had thought that she was Aladdin's mother by the way she treated him with a certain softness. Though she appeared to be a few years older than Sharrkan, she seemed young to have a child of that age, but then again she was a slave. Slaves were known to have children at shockingly young ages. However that didn't explain why Aladdin calls her, "Miss Yam." Well he was a slave as well so maybe they have different customs than heliohaptians have? Slaves were… Well, different.

Yamuraiha's laugh brought him out of his thoughts. It was the first time he had ever heard her genuinely laugh, and it was a nice change from her usual timid behavior. "You wouldn't believe how many times we get asked that!"

She giggled, and he couldn't help but share a smile with her. When she caught his eye for the first time that night, with a snap of the fingers her invisible walls went right back up. Her face turned to stone as her laughter disappeared like water evaporating on a hot day. His own grin faded away. She subtly edged away from him, but the message she sent to him couldn't be more clear: _keep your distance and I'll keep mine. _The warmth they had shared earlier was instantly sucked out of the air around them.

"But we're not at all related. We just serve under the same master and he lives close by with some friends," she explained to him furtively.

"I see," Sharrkan replied to her tartly. Sensing that she didn't wish to speak to him more than reasonable, he gave up on trying to strike up a conversation with her. He supposed that her actions were valid, since slaves and his own people usually don't interact with each other in a friendly manner, nor should they.

Eventually the tall square homes of the nobles faded into the smaller similar shaped homes of the common folk. These houses were made from brick instead of stone. These type of homes had to be rebuilt every twenty years or so because the bricks made of sand, mud, water, and straw eventually crumbled under the intense conditions of the desert. The dusty streets grew narrower, winding around the more densely packed area of the city. Palm trees grew sparsely throughout this part of the city, so the locals fastened triangular shaped fabrics of different vibrant different colors across the narrow streets to each others houses to combat the harsh sunlight and provide shade to the people down below. There was a humming glow drifting through this area of the city from the many voices of the people residing here.

This part of the city was actually Sharrkan's favorite, even over the more wealthy area where he lived. He like the business, the noise, everything. He enjoyed how something spontaneous could happen when you least expected it. At the moment however, he didn't appreciate the crowded streets. Despite the waning hour, people were still milling around going about their business. Most of them didn't pay attention to Sharrkan and the slaves, but they did gain an abundance of suspicious glances from the countrymen. Sharrkan crossed his fingers that no one would recognize him as a prince, glad that he was dressed in just a simple white tunic.

They came upon a local brothel, and the sound of laughter and the smell of sweet perfumes wafted in the air. Yamuraiha wrinkled her nose in disgust and pulled Aladdin by the hand in the direction of home. He drooled and stared at the brothel with yearning. Sharrkan was tempted himself to just ditch the slaves and go in himself, but his resolve was set on his destination. Two guffawing drunkards suddenly bursted out of the doors, haphazardly running into Aladdin, breaking him out of his daze.

"Hey," one called out to Aladdin in a slurred voice. He blinked several times at the boy like he couldn't see him clearly.

The other man was clearly more sober than his companion, and he grabbed Aladdin by the scruff. "What are you doing out here so late, slave?" He hiccuped. He stumbled back and leaned against his companion from being so tipsy.

Despite being handled so gruffly, Aladdin seemed more than pleased to enlighten him. "We're taking this man to our village-"

Simultaneously, Sharrkan and Yamuraiha came to Aladdins side at once. Yamuraiha thrusted herself protectively in front of the boy, slapping a hand over his mouth while hissing something in his ear. Sharrkan stood in front of the two men with what he hoped was a more peaceful manner.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, sirs," he said to them apologetically. His stomach dropped like he stone when he noticed their clothes. They were wearing long flowing white off the shoulder robes embroidered with gold. They were wore gold earrings and were decorated from head to toe with jewels. These men were nobles! Not only that, but he recognized their faces from Sinbad's hearing. He silently prayed that they were too drunk to recognize him.

"Please forgive the rudeness of my slaves." He was relieved that his voice didn't sound nearly as nervous as much as he felt. "It was honestly an accident, we're just running a late errand," he explained.

He held his breath as the two noblemen exchanged glances. Hopefully they would buy his explanation, but it was unusual for a master to accompany their slaves. A glass shattered from inside the brothel, and a chorus of giggles followed after. Sharrkan attempted a smile.

The more intoxicated man grinned back, revealing a mouth full of solid gold teeth. "S'all right," he mumbled while patting his companion on the back. "Let's go."

The other companion narrowed his eyes at Sharrkan. He snorted then turned away from them. "Young men these days don't know how to handle their slaves anymore," he grumbled.

He and his friend staggered in the opposite direction, and Sharrkan sighed in relief. He turned around and looked at the slaves. Yamuraiha looked like she had just sniffed something very unpleasant when she met his gaze. Her nostrils flared and her lip twitched. He had an uncanny feeling that she wanted to say something to him, but she spun on her heel and dragged Aladdin behind her.

"Come on Aladdin," she rasped. "The sooner we get home, the better."

Sharrkan followed close behind them. A lithe black dog chasing a scrawny cat dashed in front of them. The dog yapped excitedly while the cat screeched in terror, but no one paid the commotion any attention. Sharrkan couldn't help but feel frustrated with the woman. The first time they met, she hadn't hesitated in giving him a piece of her mind. Now she was constantly biting her tongue, and it perturbed him immensely. If there was something she wanted to get off her chest, she should just clear the air already.

He watched the back of Yamuraiha move swiftly through the streets in front of him. Aladdin was chattering animatedly to her and he didn't seem to notice Yamuraiha's lack of enthusiasm. Her shoulders stiffened, and she didn't even turn around once to check if Sharrkan was still following them. Aladdin however would glance back at him with sparkling eyes. He bounced on his toes as he excitedly whispered something to her. Now that it was dark, her cream headdress was wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl. Her blue hair gleamed in the moonlight as she shook her head at the young boy. Sharrkan felt overwhelmed with curiosity. What could they possibly be discussing about him?

They made an unexpected sharp turn to the right. Sharrkan followed them into a narrow alleyway. There were strands of clothes lines hanging between the two houses. Freshly washed white clothing and colorful draperies dripped water droplets onto their heads. Crates and barrels lined the edges of the alleyway, forcing Sharrkan to sidle against them from time to time. The air was filled with scents of lemon soap and spices. Feeling slightly claustrophobic, he quickened his pace which brought him closer to Yamuraiha and Aladdin, who seemed like they were debating about something at the moment.

"But didn't you see how bright they were?" Aladdin whispered, barely containing his excitement.

Yamuraiha frowned at him. "It's hard to say-"

"The rukh doesn't lie Miss Yam."

She shushed the boy and gave him a warning glance, flicking her gaze at Sharrkan who was now right beside them. Aladdin looked stricken like he had spilled his nastiest secret to his worst enemy.

Rukh? That sounded faintly familiar to Sharrkan, though he couldn't really put a finger on where exactly he had heard of it…

The alleyway finally began to brighten. The three of them stepped out into an open moon washed field. Dry waist length grasses sprouted up in every direction beyond the city. Sharrkan was slightly surprised by the dense vegetation, but he supposed this was a part of a farmer's straw plantation. The river sparkled a few miles down to his right. On the far left of the city, the tall mountain range of Heliohapt stood stark against the bright sky. He felt relieved to be in a wide open area for a change.

Yamuraiha came to halt on top of a hill that overlooked the rest of the valley. She looked at him with blue eyes that glowed fluorescent in the moonlight. She pointed down the hill. "That's where our home is," she said to him uncertainly.

Sharrkan came to her side and squinted his eyes in the direction she pointed at. Sure enough he could make out a dim light in the distance and smoke from hearth fires. Aladdin jumped forward and practically did somersaults down the hill. Sharrkan snorted and followed the boy down the hill as well, but in a more calm fashion.

Yamuriaha frantically leaped in front of him, cutting him off from his destination. "You don't need to escort us any farther," she huffed. "We can make it back on our own just fine, thank you."

They glared at each other for a few moments, neither willing to back down just yet.

"Are you guys coming or not?" Aladdin called from the bottom of the hill.

Neither of them answered the boy's question and continued to stare each other down. She folded her arms around her jar that he had given her. Sharrkan suddenly realized that she must see him as a trespasser since he wasn't a part of her own people. She wouldn't let him enter into her home quite as easily as he thought she would. Irritated with her stubbornness, he decided that he needed to come clean about the _real _reason why he was following them to their home.

"I wanted to see it," he muttered.

"See what?"

"The slave dist- I mean the village."

"Why?"

His eye twitched. This conversation was all too familiar for his liking. She was treating him like he was a naughty little schoolboy. He noticed the corners of her mouth turn upwards into a smirk. She was _intentionally_ pushing his buttons! He had never met a slave with such an annoying attitude and who dared question her superiors.

Ruffled by her words, he snapped, "Because you two got to see my home earlier, and its thanks to me that nothing happened with those guards. I think that it's only fair that I get to see your home as well." Sharrkan almost kicked himself, and not because of the poor explanation he gave her. Her smirk instantly dissipated.

"_What?_" A voice asked incredulously almost making Sharrkan jump. Aladdin somehow managed to sneak up right next to them without making a sound. His mouth hung open as he gaped at him. "You _live_ in the Royal Palace?"

Yamuraiha blanched. "Just who exactly are you?" She whispered.

Now it was Sharrkan's turn to feel momentarily triumphant over her flustered state. That feeling was short lived however when they stared at him expectantly. He wracked his brain trying to come up with an explanation that sounded somewhat legitimate.

"Well my uncle..." Well that was already a terrible start. "He's a nobleman that works under the King's guidance." An idea popped into his head. "I don't actually live there, I'm only staying with him to study abroad for a few months. I'm currently training with the sword instructors there to hone my swordsmanship." He patted his sword strapped to his side, pleased with the lie he had come up with. It actually wasn't a complete lie because he did train under the best instructors in all of Heliohapt there. Plus, all the times she had seen him he was dressed for sword training. He knew she was more likely to buy that story because of it.

Aladdin seemed to relax, and he nodded his head like he had known the entire time. He carefully trotted down the hill in the direction of the dim lights of the slave village. Yamuraiha on the other hand stood rooted to the stop.

"A nobleman…" She repeated in a whisper, though she still looked utterly lost. She was just barely piecing the puzzle together. "That… Doesn't really make sense."

Sharrkan glowered at her before taking a challenging step forward. Why wouldn't that make any sense? She regained her composure as soon as she noticed him moving forward. She moved towards him as well.

"You really don't have to waste any more of your time with us," she pleaded. "We can make it back on our own just fine."

Sharrkan rolled his eyes at her insistence. He pushed her shoulder aside and stepped around her.

"Just think of this as an educational tour of some sort."

He heard her hiss in frustration behind him as he made his way down the grassy hill, though she didn't try to stop him.

The three of them traveled in silence as they neared the village. Aladdin seemed to have burned out all the energy he had before. Yamuraiha was in no mood to talk to anyone. Locusts and crickets chimed in the tall grass. Sharrkan's thoughts wandered in the peaceful night air. To be honest, he was surprised by the route they had taken. He was expecting them to go through the other half of the city and enter through the western side of the village. He realized the slaves must have taken him through some sort of shortcut and was leading him towards the south side where the river snaked right into the district.

Before he knew it, the entrance to the village stood before him. He wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting, but he was surprised by the twelve foot wall of alabaster stone surrounding the village. He wondered why such effort was put into the walls of the slave district. Iron gates hung wide open, and Aladdin excitedly ran through inside. Sharrkan came to a halt in front of the gate, and just stared at them apprehensively.

His resolve about seeing the slave district didn't seem as strong as he thought. The walls loomed above him. This was the closest he had ever been to the district and at the moment he was okay with keeping it that way for the rest of his life. He wasn't sure why but he had this very strange feeling he couldn't shake. The chirping of the locusts faded away. He couldn't hear any noise beyond the gates, as if the entire area was devoid of life. The moonlight itself seemed to dim as well. It was like the entire land was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

He was broken out of his daze by Yamuraiha who stomped right up next to him. She came to a halt beside him and tossed him a fiery blue glare. She seemed to be daring him to enter the village. He straightened and glared at her as well before marching through the gates. She sighed in defeat before she followed behind him.

As soon as he stepped through the gates, it was like the land blew out the breath it was holding in a giant sigh. Life resumed to its peacefulness. Sharrkan didn't even notice how close to the river and the mountain he was. The slave district was the narrowest part between the mountain range and the enormous river. The area was incredibly rocky from the mountain. He could make out what looked like little mud shacks popping up all over the mountainside before him. He noticed Aladdin hopping down an uneven staircase made from stones. A flock of sheep grazed on short grass at the bottom. They brayed as the boy dashed between them. He was headed towards the closest mud shack in front of them. Warm yellow light spilled out the doorway and one small window to reveal a small group of people huddled together out front. Two of them jumped up when they noticed Aladdin dashing towards them.

Sharrkan and Yamuraiha followed Aladdin more cautiously down the uneven stairs. Yamuraiha quietly shooed the sheep out of their path. They '_baaed' _as she patted their scruffy wool coats. Sharrkan looked to his right and saw the river flowing right past them. The waves lapped at the rocky shores, and wooden docks lined the beaches unevenly. His attention returned to the group of people when he was near enough to hear them speaking. He ignored Yamuraiha's pleading looks to turn around and go away.

Aladdin bounced around the two standing individuals. "You wouldn't believe who I met-"

"Aladdin, where have you been?" A young man's voice asked worriedly. Sharrkan guessed that he was in his late teens, though it was hard to tell by the poor lighting.

"We've been up all night waiting for you." A girl's voice chimed in. She sounded younger than the other young man, but older than Aladdin.

"I'm sorry!" Aladdin apologized, though he didn't sound sorry at all. "But you have to hear this-"

"Where's Yamuraiha?" A very old man's voice asked. He slowly eased himself off the ground, using a staff for support.

Sharrkan noticed Yamuraiha stiffen.

Aladdin spun around and pointed at her. "Right there!" He exclaimed with a pleasant ring to his voice. Everyone's eyes swiveled to the newcomers. Their immediate attention was placed on Sharrkan rather than Yamuraiha however.

"Yamuraiha," the old man called out warily. He stepped in front of the youngsters protectively. They peered around him curiously. "Who is this?"

"Um…" She began, though for once she appeared to be at a loss for words.

"He's the man that gave Miss Yam the jar!" Aladdin informed them with his blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Really?" The older boy asked.

The three of them went around the elder despite his silent protests. They gathered around Sharrkan and Yamuraiha and studied him closely. He felt like was being observed like some exotic animal. Yamuraiha shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Hey," he called out to them in annoyance.

The boy and girl jumped back in surprise. Aladdin giggled at them.

"Don't worry," he said to reassure them. "His bark is worse than his bite! Believe me you should have seen the way he sent these two perverted ophidians packing-"

The girl gasped and covered her mouth. The young man with blonde hair lunged forward and about knocked Aladdin off his feet. He hissed something in the younger boy's ear. Aladdin's eyes grew huge and he gave Sharrkan a very apologetic look.

"Anyways," Aladdin continued on. "He helped us out a lot back there."

The pebbles on the ground crunched as the old man lumbered towards them. He used his staff to support himself. "Is that so? I suppose you should all come inside and recount the story to the rest of us."

Though his words were directed at Aladdin, his eyes were focused on Yamuraiha. They seemed to have a silent conversion. He gazed at her accusingly. He seemed to be saying, _how could you bring _him _here?_

Yamuraiha's face looked strained. _I tried to stop him!_

"He's got a sword!" The blonde one called out in warning. He and the girl took a cautious step backwards. The girl and the old man gazed at Sharrkan in foreboding. Though the young man was curiously staring at him in wonder.

Aladdin blinked at the sword strapped to his side. "I didn't even see that until now."

"Calm down," Sharrkan snapped. These people treated him like a hippo that was about to go on a rampage! "I'm not going to kill anybody just yet."

Yamuraiha crossed her arms in front of her and let out a quiet, _'hmph!'_

"Swordsman," she muttered nastily under her breath.

Sharrkan chose to ignore her snide remark.

The girl was the first to relax out of all of them. "Come on, Alibaba." She said to the blonde one. "I think Mr. Mogamett is right and we should invite him in for awhile." Her eyes seemed to glow unnaturally in the dim light. "It's the least we can do," she murmured a little quieter.

Alibaba nodded in agreement. "Okay, Morgiana."

"Come." Mogamett sighed. He motioned towards the warmly lit shack.

Sharrkan knew it probably wouldn't be a good idea to enter into a slave home. Who knew what type of diseases could be lurking in there? Besides, he of all people shouldn't be interacting with these people. He's seen the village now, and from what he could tell it wasn't as bad as Sinbad had made it out to be. But before Sharrkan could manage a polite refusal, Aladdin jumped forward and tugged on his white robes.

"Hey, wait a minute-"

Yamuraiha seemed to pick up on his uncomfortable reluctance. "Don't be rude now," she said to him from behind in a false sing-song voice. "Just accept our kindness just this once." She smirked at him while giving him a push towards the tiny little mud house. "Just think of it as an educational expedition of some sort."

Sharrkan gave her the dirtiest look he could manage. He was _really _getting sick of her using his own words against him.


End file.
